73. THE LETTERS!!!

Manik comes forward and opens the box to find a beautiful flower bouquet with two letters. One is named “MY LOVE” and the other is “SASUR JI ” (father-in-law). 

Listening to the names Raman frowns and asks from manik in a whisper. 

Ram:- Now why are you writing a letter to me? 

Raj:- ( in a jealous tone ) this is very bad Manik. You never wrote any letter to me till now but you wrote a letter to him ( pointing towards Raman ), your new-found father. This is not fair. I am hurt. 

Ma:- ( while rolling his eyes in annoyance ) Why would I write a letter to him, dad? Don’t I have any work rather than wasting my time writing a letter for him…. 

Raj:- point… 

Ram:- ( with a bad face ) if you guys are done with your letter story then shall we read the letter?

Nan:- ( curiously ) Manik, what is written in the letter, and who sent this? 

Ca:- is this even a question, Nandini? 

Abhi:- ( with narrowed eyes ) what do you mean by that, Cabir? 

Ca:- simple, maybe dad’s P.A miss Rose sent this letter for him as she is crazy for him. 

Listening to him, Ishita’s eyes shot open and immediately landed on Raman accusingly. 

Ram:- ( scaredly ) trust me Ishu, I never looked at her with these eyes. 

Ca:- ( instigating Ishita ) oh..oh… look mom, he has a separate pair of eyes to look at miss Rose. you never told me this, dad. 

Everyone palmed their faces hearing his nonsense. Whereas Raj looks at Raman sympathetically. 

Raj:- Sorry bro, I changed my decision of adopting him ( cabir ). One day he will make me a divorced man if he stays here and I can’t take that risk. 

Saying this he gives him an understanding pat on his back with an apologetic smile. 

Ma:- I second you, dad. And I am enough to ruin your happy life. Don’t I? 

Raj:- ( with a lip tight smile ) of course, my son. How can I forget that I am living under the same roof with my ultimate romance breaker!!

Ma:- Dad, don’t give me that title. Raman uncle is the number one romance breaker. 

Ram:- and I will happily accept that title until I am successful in spoiling your romance. 

Ma:- ( with a bad face ) only because of your these acts you deserved a son like Cabir. 

Ram:- ( with wide eyes ) are you cursing me? 

Raj:- any doubt?

The bickering stopped by Ishita. 

Ish:- Raman, what is he saying?

Ram:- Ishu, you are trusting Cabir over your innocent husband? I swear on Nandini….. I am innocent. 

Ishita calms down when Raman swore on Nandini because everyone knows that he will not lie while taking her name. 

Nan:- Mom, think wisely, why would that rose call dad “sasur Ji”? 

Ca:- and here comes… dad’s lawyer. Nandu, can’t you keep your mouth shut and let me have fun with dad. 

Nan:- ( in a cute complaining tone with a pout ) dad, Bhai is ordering me to shut up. 

Ram:- ( possessively ) how dare you say shut-up to my princess, cabir? You shut-up! My princess will talk as much as she wants. 

Ca:- ( with a dramatic cry ) by saying this you again proved it, dad, that I am adopted. 

Ram:- ( happily ) EUREKA!!….. ( sternly ) Then leave my home. 

Before Cabir counters back, Ishita comes in between them to dismiss the matter. 

Ish:- oh…. Complaining daughter and possessive father, shut up! Let us focus on these mysterious letters. 

Nav:- ( with sharp eyes ) yup! And Cabir, I am noticing you….. You know very much about Miss Rose. Don’t you? 

Hearing her, cabir becomes a scared kitten whereas Raman smiles victoriously. 

Ma:- ( smirking ) yes, answer her question, Cabir. How do you know about Miss Rose because she is not your P.A? 

Ca:- ( stammering ) w..o….h….. Rose is a ……. ROSE…… 

Nav:- ( angrily ) I will see you later, Mr. Murthy. 

Raman who was dancing in mind a few moments back becomes sad hearing her while Cabir gulps hard seeing Navya’s red eyes.  

Ram:- ( disappointedly ) why not now, Navya? Why don’t you teach him a good lesson there itself!

Ca:- huh?…… Dad, did you want to kill me? 

Raj:- happy realization!

Abhi:- ( mockingly ) guys, back to the earth. The poor letter is waiting for an opening ceremony. Shall we focus on that?

Nan:- ( dramatically ) thank god, someone is also sensible except me. 

Giving no head to her comment Manik opens the first letter which is for Nandini. 

Hey Nandini, 

My love, how are you? 

Listening to this, Nandini becomes super happy thinking that someone wrote a love letter to her. But Manik becomes furious seeing someone’s audacity to send a letter for his girlfriend that too A LOVE LETTER. 

Raj:- ( whispers to Manik who is raging like a bull ) aww…. How cute! You wrote a love letter to Nandini in this digital period. Give this to me after reading it. I will also copy this letter and send it to my lovely wife. 

Ram:- ( with a bad face ) such an old-fashioned idea!

Raj:- but it’s romantic!….. Oldie. 

Ma:- ( angrily ) I didn’t write this letter. 

His anger rose more after hearing Nandini. 

Nandini:- ( with a shy smile ) aww…. How romantic! Someone sent a love letter to me, so cute! Manik, pass this to me ( pointing to the letter ). I will read it on my own. 

Ma:- ( with pissed-off expressions ) I am reading it for you, Miss Murthy. 

Nan:- ( cutely ) reading others’ letters is bad manners. 

Ma:- ( sternly ) I am reading it. 

Nan:- ( murmurs cutely with an adorable pout ) JEALOUS MALHOTRA!……. NO ONE SENDS HIM SUCH LETTERS THAT’S WHY HE IS BEHAVING LIKE THIS. HUH!!

Hey Nandini,

My love, how are you? Hope that fall didn’t cause any hard injury to you.

Yup! It’s me behind your small accident but what would I do, you forced me to take this step. Who permitted you to let any other man come near you and to kiss your forehead. 

Only I have the right to cherish you. 

Only my lips had the right to land on your soft milky skin. 

But now, don’t worry I removed his touch from your body. Now you become pure again, for me. 

I know you lost little blood because of me but I will cope with the loss as soon as I come back, my love. Just wait for some more days and I will be there in front of your eyes. 

This time no one can separate me from you. Not even god!

Take care of yourself until I come because you are precious to me. 

I know, till now you got the idea about me and let me clear it. 

Your and only yours

Mad-lover

AKSHAT DHAWAN

The letter clearly shows his lust and obsession for Nandini. Everyone’s expressions change from happy to shock reading the letter. 

All look at each other in a daze and remember past events. The most vulnerable one was Nandini whose memory played each scene in a 3D vision giving her goosebumps. 

She stood up and snatched the letter from Manik’s hand and read it once again to find his every word true. The letter slips from her hold when she sees the picture which was attached to it. 

The picture is of Manik and hers’ where he is kissing her forehead but his back is facing the camera. Seeing this she looks at Manik with fearful eyes who tore his gaze as soon as she glanced at him. 

Without a second thought, she opens the second letter and reads it out loud. Her tone is shaking because of fear………….. HIS FEAR!

Hey father-in-law,

I am back…..see you soon. 

This time I will take my Nandini with me in front of your eyes. 

I will claim her as mine in front of you so that no one can separate her from me. 

See you super soon at the wedding hall. 

Your daughter’s love

Nandini’s breath hitched reading his threat that this time he will claim her as his. 

Nan:- ( with slight tears ) IS HE BACK, DAD? 

Everyone comes back into reality hearing her weak tone. Seeing her condition Raman immediately took her in his embrace and it lessened her fear slightly. He kissed her forehead as if assuring her that he won’t let anyone harm her. 

Nan:- Dad, you promised me that he won’t come back again in my life. Then, why is he here? Will he take me away from you? 

Ram:- ( cupping her face ) you are my princess,…… my strong girl. Why are you getting scared of him? I won’t let him touch your fingertips until I am alive. I won’t let him take away my most precious gem.  

Nan:- ( with moist eyes ) dad, I don’t want to get caged in his house again. That place suffocates me. 

To be continued…